The Last Mona Lisa by Jonathan Santlofer

THE LAST MONA LISA by Jonathan Santlofer is a suspenseful story that centers on the actual theft of The Mona Lisa in 1911 and a fictional modern-day investigation by the great grandson of the thief. Luke Perrone is an art history teacher who has long been obsessed with his ancestor’s theft of this famous painting. When he learns that someone has found his great grandfather’s journal, he heads to Florence and starts to unravel the mystery.  There are many questions here: what was the original motivation for the theft? What happened to those involved? Who is masterminding the killing of anyone associated with the journal? What danger faces the young woman to whom Luke is attracted? Why is INTERPOL involved? Is Luke also in danger physically? Will he be able to solve this mystery and return to his teaching position in America? Santlofer is an award-winning writer and an artist himself. He cleverly intersperses diary entries with Luke’s actions and reflections to add depth to this mystery which Ruth Ware described as “a deliciously tense read.” THE LAST MONA LISA received starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly.